Today actually felt like a Fall day in Florida, by Florida's standards that is. Super dry air, bright sunshine and a breeze with a hint of coolness . Took a long fast walk tonight and NO Bill did not walk. If he comes with me, we meander. I like to work up a sweat, get the old heart pumping and the lungs expanding...Not Bill's favorite pass time. He often asks me, "Don't you walk enough at work?" Nope! Love to walk, if I could I'd hike across the country..sounds so exciting! Let's go back to the work thing. Yes, I am a restaurant manager at Walt Disney World. Currently I manager Roaring Forks at Disney's Wilderness Lodge..great place, rustic and beautiful. Today, as I was helping one of my Cast Members, I glanced at a woman, smiled then turned my attention to the moment. That little light bulb in my mind lit up brightly, as I looked up, she had disappeared. Quickly I finished and headed out, on patrol to the dining room, hoping to see her again. She was sitting there alone for the moment. As I approached the table, she look in my direction. "You look like someone I have met before. No, I know I have met you before," I questioned. A little puzzled she remarked, "You also look familiar!" Then it hit me, she'd been a weekend patron at Fred's News. Her son and friends frequented Fred's News as well. At that moment her husband appeared, we laughed as we all recognized each other. Mary had just retired after thirty six years of teaching. Her celebration of that milestone was a trip to Walt Disney World. Such a small world, we laughed at the far reaching effects of Fred's News.
Today, was not the first time I have been greeted by former patrons of Freds. Listening to these people, their memories and how we touched their lives is so rewarding. Each time I hear from someone, a new story bubbles to the surface, taking over my thoughts. Mary, remarked, "we don't go to Baltic any more. We now live closer to the shore, but my son and his friends talk of the fun they had at your place." Many times young people would come into Fred's News, eat , sit and talk for a few hours. Many found the place nostalgic, little did they know it was their comfort zone. They were surrounded by people who genuinely enjoyed their presence as well as their thoughts. Simple things in life, the old COKE machine, was a source of intrigue for many. Those small glass bottles, made special for this machine delighted them. Surprisingly, many had no idea how to open the bottles. Hee-Jung Yang often held lessons: "Now pay attentions, please, I'm going to show you this only once," then she'd smile that wonderfully broad smile and laugh. We used to laugh and say, "If it was a bottle of beer, they'd figure it out!
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